Emotional awareness: Recognizing one’s emotions and their effects

• Know which emotions they are feeling and why
• Realize the links between their feelings and what they think, do, and say
• Recognize how their feelings affect their performance
• Have a guiding awareness of their values and goals

Accurate self-assessment: Knowing one’s strengths and limits

• Aware of their strengths and weaknesses
• Reflective, learning from experience
• Open to candid feedback, new perspectives, continuous learning, and self-development
• Able to show a sense of humour and perspective about themselves

Self-confidence: A strong sense of one’s self-worth and capabilities

• Present themselves with self-assurance; have "presence"
• Can voice views that are unpopular and go out on a limb for what is right
• Are decisive, able to make sound decisions despite uncertainties and pressures

Self-Control: Keeping disruptive emotions and impulses in check

• Manage their impulsive feelings and distressing emotions well
• Stay composed, positive, and unflappable even in trying moments
• Think clearly and stay focused under pressure

Trustworthiness: Maintaining standards of honesty and integrity

• Act ethically and are above reproach
• Build trust through their reliability and authenticity
• Admit their own mistakes and confront unethical actions in others
• Take tough, principled stands even if they are unpopular

Conscientiousness: Taking responsibility for personal performance

• Meet commitments and keep promises
• Hold themselves accountable for meeting their objectives
• Are organized and careful in their work

Adaptability: Flexibility in handling change

• Smoothly handle multiple demands, shifting priorities, and rapid change
• Adapt their responses and tactics to fit fluid circumstances

• Are flexible in how they see events

Innovation: Being comfortable with novel ideas, approaches, and new information

• Seek out fresh ideas from a wide variety of sources
• Entertain original solutions to problems
• Generate new ideas
• Take fresh perspectives and risks in their thinking

Achievement drive: Striving to improve or meet a standard of excellence

• Are results-oriented, with a high drive to meet their objectives and standards
• Set challenging goals and take calculated risks
• Pursue information to reduce uncertainty and find ways to do better
• Learn how to improve their performance

Commitment: Aligning with the goals of the group or organization

• Readily make sacrifices to meet a larger organizational goal
• Find a sense of purpose in the larger mission
• Use the group’s core values in making decisions and clarifying choices
• Actively seek out opportunities to fulfill the group’s mission

Initiative: Readiness to act on opportunities

• Are ready to seize opportunities
• Pursue goals beyond what’s required or expected of them
• Cut through red tape and bend the rules when necessary to get the job done
• Mobilize others through unusual, enterprising efforts

Optimism: Persistence in pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks

• Persist in seeking goals despite obstacles and setbacks
• Operate from hope of success rather than fear of failure
• See setbacks as due to manageable circumstance rather than a personal flaw

Understanding others: Sensing others’ feelings and perspectives, and taking an active interest in their concerns

• Are attentive to emotional cues and listen well
• Show sensitivity and understand others’ perspectives
• Help out based on understanding other people’s needs and feelings

Developing others: Sensing others’ development needs and bolstering their abilities

• Acknowledge and reward people’s strengths and accomplishments
• Offer useful feedback and identify people’s needs for further growth
• Mentor, give timely coaching, and offer assignments that challenge and foster a person’s skills

Service orientation: Anticipating, recognizing, and meeting customers’ needs

• Understand customers’ needs and match them to services or products
• Seeks ways to increase customers’ satisfaction and loyalty
• Gladly offer appropriate assistance
• Grasp a customer’s perspective, acting as a trusted advisor

Leveraging diversity: Cultivating opportunities through different kinds of people

• Respect and relate well to people from varied backgrounds
• Understand diverse worldviews and are sensitive to group differences
• See diversity as opportunity, creating an environment where diverse people can thrive
• Challenge bias and intolerance

Political awareness: Reading a group’s emotional currents and power relationships

• Accurately read key power relationships
• Detect crucial social networks
• Understand the forces that shape views and actions of clients, customers, or competitors

Influence: Wielding effective tactics for persuasion

• Are skilled at winning people over
• Fine-tune presentations to appeal to the listener
• Use complex strategies like indirect influence to build consensus and support
• Orchestrate dramatic events to effectively make a point

Communication: Listening openly and sending convincing messages

• Are effective in give-and-take, registering emotional cues in attuning their message
• Deal with difficult issues straightforwardly
• Listen well, seek mutual understanding, and welcome sharing of information fully
• Foster open communication and stay receptive to bad news as well as good

Conflict management: Negotiating and resolving disagreements

• Handle difficult people and tense situations with diplomacy and tact
• Spot potential conflict, bring disagreements into the open, and help de-escalate
• Encourage debate and open discussion
• Orchestrate win-win solutions

Leadership: Inspiring and guiding individuals and groups

• Articulate and arouse enthusiasm for a shared vision and mission
• Step forward to lead as needed, regardless of position
• Guide the performance of others while holding them accountable
• Lead by example

Change catalyst: Initiating or managing change

• Recognize the need for change and remove barriers
• Challenge the status quo to acknowledge the need for change
• Champion the change and enlist others in its pursuit
• Model the change expected of others

Building bonds: Nurturing instrumental relationships

• Cultivate and maintain extensive informal networks
• Seek out relationships that are mutually beneficial
• Build rapport and keep others in the loop
• Make and maintain personal friendships among work associates

Collaboration and cooperation: Working with others toward shared goals

• Balance a focus on task with attention to relationships
• Collaborate, sharing plans, information, and resources
• Promote a friendly, cooperative climate
• Spot and nurture opportunities for collaboration

Team capabilities: Creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals

• Model team qualities like respect, helpfulness, and cooperation
• Draw all members into active and enthusiastic participation
• Build team identity, esprit de corps, and commitment

• Protect the group and its reputation; share credit